Hans Bressers – författare

Network models for analysing public policy have become widely used in recent years. This volume, originally published in 1995, assesses the network idea by applying a common perspective on network analysis to the constellations involved in water policy formation and implementation in England and Wales, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands, the USA and at the level of the EU. Water policy – addressing basic human needs for the supply of adequate surface and groundwater as well as for the maintenance and improvement of water quality, is an increasingly salient subject. Each case covered in this volume treats the issues of water policy network composition and structure, and determinants of network characteristics, as well as documenting the influence of the networks on policy developments towards more network openness, emulation of business behaviour nd less domination by traditional professional groups such as engineers. Essays by the editors provide a common analytical perspective and offer both explicitly-comparative conclusions and evidence-based assessments of the strengths and limitations of the network perspective.

Network models for analysing public policy have become widely used in recent years. This volume, originally published in 1995, assesses the network idea by applying a common perspective on network analysis to the constellations involved in water policy formation and implementation in England and Wales, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands, the USA and at the level of the EU. Water policy – addressing basic human needs for the supply of adequate surface and groundwater as well as for the maintenance and improvement of water quality, is an increasingly salient subject. Each case covered in this volume treats the issues of water policy network composition and structure, and determinants of network characteristics, as well as documenting the influence of the networks on policy developments towards more network openness, emulation of business behaviour nd less domination by traditional professional groups such as engineers. Essays by the editors provide a common analytical perspective and offer both explicitly-comparative conclusions and evidence-based assessments of the strengths and limitations of the network perspective.

All over the world countries struggle with water stress. Problems vary from water scarcity and a degrading water quality, to floods and a rising sea level due to climate change. The European Union adopted a Water Framework Directive to improve the sustainability of water management in its member states. Water management should be coordinated at the level of river basins as a whole. Interests of various user groups should be better represented. River basin visions should take into account the impact of all human activities on the status of the resource. Water legislation needs streamlining and more focus on its implementation. The European Union advocates regulating water prices by charging the costs of water services on the basis of full cost recovery and the polluter pays principle.

This book examines water management integration in the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Spain, Italy and Switzerland. It is based on the European research project EUWARENESS. Per country two case studies are considered, to analyze specific regime transitions at water basin level during the last decades. The twelve case studies are discussed within their national context and compared on conditions that are important for regime change towards sustainability. The book also provides theory on water governance, institutional regimes, and property rights, resulting in a tool for monitoring the progress of integrated water management at the basin level in EU member states or other countries.

This book follows another volume published with Kluwer Academic Publishers on "The Evolution of National Water Regimes in Europe", edited by Ingrid Kissling-Näf and Stefan Kuks.

The book integrates boundary work approaches, new forms of governance and water resource management to explore frameworks for spanning sector, scale and time boundaries. Structured case studies reflect the experiences and lessons of cooperation and exchange with professional water managers and their projects. Recommendations for boundary spanning in practice are presented, and important contemporary water management themes including flooding and flood policy, water depletion and water restoration are discussed in depth. Incorporating conceptual, theoretical and practical foci to address complexity and conflict in adaptive water management, this book will strongly appeal to academics, researchers and practitioners in the areas of water management, planning and sustainability.

This book draws on insights that originated from the Circular Economy and Zero Waste initiatives. Together these approaches try to boost the shift from “waste” to “resources” management. The content of this book is partially organized from a stakeholder perspective, revealing the managerial implications for public and private actors. Next to public policies, also illustrations come from the private sector. Petstar, Texperium and Walmart generously shared some of their best practices at in this regard.

Cases from China, Indonesia, Mexico, the Netherlands and Romania are discussed in this book. In all of these different contexts they show ways to create collaborative schemes in order to “retain” the resources’ values as much as product quality and financial circumstances permit. 

The reader can thus take advantage of the pragmatic viewpoints that aim to inspire policy makers, researchers, students, organisations and communities to boost the needed changes towards a Zero Waste Economy.